Google and NBA launch “Pixel Arena” 3D environment for fans during 2022 Playoffs

NBA fans watching the 2022 Playoffs may notice how prominent the Google Pixel is in all the marketing around the event. This is because the Google Pixel is the official fan phone of the NBA due to Google’s new multi-year deal with the league. This year, further advancing this partnership, Google and the NBA jointly developed the “NBA Google Pixel Arena” — a game-changing virtual experience to take the game you love to the next level.

The NBA Google Pixel Arena consists of a new immersive 3D environment that can be launched from within the NBA app on any mobile device or operating system. Google states this was purposely done to stay true to their NBA partnership tagline, “For all the fans.” Meanwhile, the NBA described the experience as follows:

The Pixel Arena that will allow fans to engage with the 2022 NBA Playoffs in a personalized and informative way. Within the NBA app, fans will be transported through their phone’s screen into an immersive digital arena, which to start, will focus on every playoff game’s longest break: half-time.

Fans that access the Pixel Arena during halftime or between games can look forward to these features:

• Create and personalize a custom avatar to represent their team or digital identity
• Keep track of the match-up, scores, and trivia info via a virtual jumbotron
• Enjoy data visualizations from key players or moments
• Test their NBA history knowledge and amass points with fan trivia, and use those points to unlock new accessories for their avatar.

The NBA Google Pixel Arena went live over the weekend on the first day of the Playoffs and will continue throughout the event’s duration. This is a timely collaboration considering the partnership between Google and the NBA as well as the current popularity of the Metaverse and Augmented Reality, which has piqued the public’s interest. I look forward to trying this out with my family during the next Miami Heat game, and hopefully, *fingers crossed* bring them good luck.